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Souls of the Night – Vol 3

49.

Frustrated, Ares pulled the arrow out of the artificial tree.

The arrow with the modified arrowhead. In which the "needle of destiny" was placed. He had missed. HE had missed. He had managed to steal into the hall and onto the mountings of the lighting system, but this whole infernal setting of artificiality had not allowed him to aim properly.

He toyed with the idea of following Lexington and Sharif, who hadn't gone together but would meet immediately at the vehicle, and doing it right the second time. He would have to wait for the brief moment when Lexington accompanied Nathaniel to his door. He surely would do this as a human because he didn't want the whole neighborhood to know that Nathaniel Sharif not only had a gargoyle acquaintance but was also getting up close and personal with "the boss". The human rumor mill was worse than that of most fey. Since Lexington wouldn't be able to turn back into a human and follow him so quickly, Ares would be gone before Sharif even got up again. After all, he didn't want to kill him (correction - he didn't care if he killed Sharif but Alex didn't want him to and Ares would try to fulfill his wishes as best he could as long as it didn't interfere with Alexander's or Flora's own well-being).

Ares turned and backed away hissing because Owen was suddenly standing there. It was difficult to sneak up on a gargoyle. On a born hunter and warrior like Ares even more so. Of course, only one of the magical race could do it. Although you could tell from Puck's human alter ego that both fey and human were not at their best. It wasn't as obvious as with Alexander, who was largely human despite his immense potential. You could see it in small details. The strand of hair that wasn't quite as neatly embedded in the rest of his hairstyle as usual. The tiny smudge on his glasses. The tired look, the slightly loosened tie. And here, too, Puck had probably cast a tiny spell so that none of this seemed overly suspicious or alarming to others and his master and employer David Xanatos.

But since Ares was not subject to these illusions (Alexander's expression of love and somehow cruel penalty alike), he saw the tension in the major domo's shoulders and the quiver of pain at the corner of his mouth as Owen smiled patronizingly.

"I think I'll take back the artifact you pilfered."

Ares gripped the arrow tighter.

"I'll get it right the second time."

"This is not Master Alexander's plan."

"As if any of you are capable of pragmatic plans under your current burden."

Owen narrowed his eyes. A tiny gesture that made Ares raise his arm spines - not as a controllable threatening act but as the equivalent of goose bumps.

"Scratching him here in this dark distracting environment would have been perfect, but I have more opportunities."

"Everyone will know it was you. We'll find a way to scratch him without making you a pariah if something goes awry. These artifacts sometimes have very specific, tightly defined conditions of use so that they function without any pitfalls for the operator or the exposed subjects," Owen argued sensitively, though it was obvious that it wasn't just his physical strength that was drained.

"I don't belong to this clan anyway. I'm not even- Alexander's parents don't even recognize -."

Ares growled, biting his lower lip.

"Other peasants can only dream of saving king, queen, and kingdom in one move," he stated quietly, his entire sense of self revealed in that one sentence. He was nothing like Nathaniel. Where he would have looked away, would have cringed under the energy and stare of of an actually weakened Owen, Ares stared the threat in the eye. Dare me in every breath. The young gargoyle had a superior backbone in the face of danger. He was prideful, but curiously only in small things like his appearance in front of strangers. At the same time, however, he had a tendency for self-sacrifice, which made it too clear how expendable he considered himself. Towards his potential new clan. Towards his in-laws. Towards his mates. He was certain of their love. He only believed just as strongly that he was not worthy of this love, that he was too weak to stand by their side. This fear dominated all his actions and would ruin everything.

"Give me the arrow, Ares. You can prove yourself in other ways."

"That's not my point!" hissed the vigilant gargoyle. "And ... why doesn't Alexander stop me! Why doesn't HE talk me out of it. He's smart, so much smarter than me. If he doesn't stop me - whether through conversation or some kind of action - doesn't that mean that I have the role of the active player in one of his elaborate schemes and plots? Isn't THAT my function, my role, my responsibility? Tell me, Valet!" Ares breathed agitatedly, slowly lowering his wings under Owen's gaze, which had never come closer to boundless disappointment. "Or...," the archer speculated and put the arrow back in the quiver. "Or Alex is too weak to scheme, to plot. He doesn't assign a role to anybody because he's too busy hosting Nathaniel Sharif's devil with his energy and keeping his human body alive at the same time."

He loosened his stance and put on that cold superior demeanor that was supposed to be his armor.

"Yet you are here. Do you want to stop me? Could you even do that right now? Just bending Oberons rules and jumping here from the Eyrie building must have exhausted what you can muster this night. You can't take your fey form, of course, because Alexander's well-being isn't threatened by me, but Owen Burnett could try to stop me as a human. Or... could he?"

Ares placed a hand against Owen's chest. And pushed.

It was just a little shove.

But Owen stumbled backwards and into one of the artificial bushes made of plastic, wire and fabric. Ares flashed a fang. Owen stared at him, the green inhuman glint in his eyes.

"Our wrath can be infinite, too," Puck said through Owen's lips.

Ares smiled mournfully. "I know. But Puck's primary goal is to protect and rear the boy. The former is also my responsibility. I can't wait for you. You Feys always think you have forever and that's why Flora and Alex think so too - even though Alex is quite mortal. Next time I won't miss. I will save my mates, you too, dear valet. And this city and this world, which my mates have chosen as their abode. What happens to me afterwards is irrelevant. Play your twisted trickster games with me as soon as you are able to do so again."

Ares stepped past Owen with a grim determination to put his head in the noose.

.

.

"We're too late!" Heather whined as they climbed through the hatch into the dark hall of the laser tag area.

"Yes. It was a remarkably clever move of Ares to say to Brooklyn that I was bothering sick Alexander and should rather concentrate on my training. Grab them by their fucking parental complexes. I can't believe how easy it is to manipulate our damn clan leader. His naivety would be cute if it wasn't holding us back." Tachi sniffed the air and frowned. "His smell is cold. How did he get here and away so quickly?"

She rubbed her shoulders, which were still sore from the bokken training with Katana she had had to endure the first few hours of the night. On occasions like this, she hated being a rookling and having to do what the adults wanted.

"I wanted to see how the humans and Lex were playing here," Heather grumbled and looked around with a pouty expression.

"You can hardly stand the sensory overload at a farmer's market." Nash said and switched the lights back on via the control panel. Just because they needed very little light to see didn't mean that more light would hinder their investigations. The three of them walked through the corridors, which had lost much of their appeal without the LED strips, lights and sound effects. Heather jumped back and forth on the quivering walls.

"What are we looking for here again?"

"We'll know when we find it," Tachi said cryptically without paying much further attention.

"Fantastic," Nash grumbled, looking in disgust at the imitation of a destroyed city silhouette covering a wall. He'd had a bad feeling in his stomach for a few nights now.

"We know Ares here didn't do anything to Uncle Nate because Nathaniel's cell phone signal moved after this and because Lex didn't send a distress call. So they probably didn't even notice him. But what was Ares doing here if not - I don't know - taking him out?"

"Spying and pondering mysteriously?" Nash asked sarcastically.

"He's far too driven for that. Something's going to happen and it's imminent. I need you two to distract the adults from me for the next few nights so I can stick to his ass."

"Wouldn't it be better if he was followed by someone who could take him on if needed?" her brother asked, backing away against one of the walls as Tachi whirled around and pinned him alone with her snarl and bitch glare.

"What I don't have in strength, I make up for in ingenuity, brutality, and deviousness. Besides, I'm much better at sneaking than you, superninja."

"Okay, sure, all right," Nash agreed, waving away his criticism and the tension between them. Tachi turned around, lifted her head, opened her beak a little and sucked the air through her nose and mouth to bring her superior sense of smell to bear.

Heather jumped over their heads from one wall groaning under her weight to the next.

"I want to play laser tag too. Do you think Uncle Xanatos will rent the place if I ask really super duper nicely? "

"If he wants to renovate the whole place afterwards, for sure," Nash said snippily.

"It can also be my birthday present."

"Heather, you have to help search. Sniff out where Nate, Lex and Ares have been the most," Tachi called out because her younger sister was already out of sight again, although they could hear her jumping around in the hall.

"I love how you use her as a substitute for a watchbiest," Nash commented, sniffing around himself.

"Hatchlings just have the best sense of smell. And it's not like it would bother her. Heather! Are you going to help or are you just bullshitting?" she shouted imperiously.

" Aye-aye!" came from somewhere.

Nashville grumbled discontentedly and rubbed his temples. Not another headache. They stopped in the corridor clearing, which was designed like an artificial forest. Heather was here in the floor, picked up a few leaves of fabric but it was hard to tell if she was on to something or just fooling around.

"Do you smell that?" Tachi asked her brother.

"Human stress and deodorant? Yes."

"No. Burnt rubber. Like Alex or Owen smell lately."

"Neither of them are in a state to play laser tag," Nash mused, letting his gaze wander. He grunted grimly and stepped over to one of the artificial trees while Heather jumped away again. He stroked the hole there at head height.

"Mhmm. A flat diamond shape," Tachi murmured, also running her claws over the artificially rough, brown-painted surface.

"Like from an arrowhead," Nash speculated.

"A single shot. No smell of blood in the whole area."

"Right."

"So he missed?"

"Probably. Lots of distracting visual stimuli. Even for a gargoyle master archer. Just seeing anything here in the hall with the light beams and lasers bouncing around is torture for our eyes."

Nashville looked around uncertainly.

"Ares isn't going to give up after a botched attempt."

Tachi looked at her phone, which was connected to the others. The adults could also switch this function off if necessary, but hardly ever did, either because they didn't think about it or didn't see the point. Tachi didn't need to make a big deal of the fact that she had also freed Nashville's and her phones from this parental control and that they were here in stealth mode. "Lexington's and Nathaniel's signals are still together. And only four hours until sunrise. Ares won't act tonight. Not in front of Lexington."

"Why do you think that?"

"Just a hunch. He has a twisted form of decorum. So he won't attack Nate at his home - after all, Gargoyles usually respect `My Home is my Castle`. And he won't hurt or kill anyone in his lover's arms. Are you okay, Nash?"

Tachi turned to her brother, who was leaning against one of the walls and rubbing his face. He looked pretty pale.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. I just don't feel so great. I have a strange feeling in my gut."

Suddenly the lights went out and all the LED light strips in all colors that adorned the walls came on.

"I've found the controls," Heather screeched from the beginning of the maze.

Tachi growled in annoyance. "Turn it off now!" she shouted.

"I just want to look. What's that button thingy now doing?"

Both gargoyles flinched as dense white clouds were emitted from invisible fog machines.

"It's making fog, turn it off," shouted Nash.

"Cool, I'll come and look. But what does that button do? And this one?"

Strobe lights began to flash from various spotlights on the ceiling.

"I'm about to staple your wings together! Stop pressing buttons!" ordered Tachi - and sighed as dozens of party lights sent colorful laser beams dancing through the hall, over walls and gargoyles. Immediately afterwards, the futuristic war-like sound effects started up.

"Cooool," Heather shrieked briefly before everything else was drowned out by the acoustic star wars effects.

"Great, the last will to lay an egg myself in the future is going down the drain!" hissed Tachi and wanted to take Nash by the hand so that they could collect their runaway sibling. But Nash toppled forward at the slightest tug. He immediately began to spasm on the floor.

.

.

Lex had stuck one of the patches on so that we could stroll slowly across the street and to my apartment. His human hand found mine and we certainly did look like two normal guys. Boyfriends. Lovers. I found this a little unnecessary (which David would probably interpret as a breakthrough) but even though it was half past one in the morning, Nathaniel Sharif - the human - lived here. Having a gargoyle acquaintance was one thing. A gargoyle boss was another. But to have the same gargoyle as a boyfriend ...

"All in all, it was a nice evening," I said as we climbed the stairs to my apartment.

"Just the laser tag at the end... we don't have to do that again," Lex said and I sighed with relief.

"I was SO hoping you'd say that."

"Everything was so unnatural and over the top. Apart from your short frenzy. I was totally drained by the whole thing too."

"And now? Still drained?" I asked and pressed my finger on the sensor on my door, which swung open. I giggled as his hands slid under my arms and he hugged me from behind, rubbing his head against my neck. I shuddered briefly because I could feel his hair, which he actually had as a human. But the voice was that of my gargoyle.

"Not really drained in the areas that would be important. Rather ... in anticipation of pleasant activities."

"Oh, you're confident, Mr. Eyrie," I purred, placing my hands over his. "What if I say I'm tired? This human body might be weary."

One of his hands went lower. Beyond my waistband. Until he cheekily cupped my dick through my jeans. A wash of arousal swept over me and he probably felt the reaction on his hand, smelled it in the air and heard it in my pulse. Ohr not- because he was human. He giggled like the little devil he was. I turned around, pulled him into my apartment by his T-shirt and pushed the door which locked automatically shut with my hip. We stumbled a little awkwardly to the couch and I somehow managed to get Lex to land in my lap, but we were both pretty delighted while we kissed. Not just kissing but making out. Just like I always imagined teenagers would make out.

"I've got you now," I rasped before he caught my mouth again. I surprised myself by thinking that his blunt teeth, the lack of pointed ears, the unfamiliar curve of his eyebrows bothered me. I grumbled unhappily because I wanted to stroke his glorious bare head but found hair there. When I opened my eyes, I saw his fine eyebrows and much too small eyes. But my grumble must not have sounded right because he smiled happily.

"Apart from Chad's ambush shot, you were the only one who got me," my friend admitted quietly.

I hummed with satisfaction.

"I would have killed anyone else who dared to tag you."

He smiled seductively. "I know. I was there." His smug smile gave me goosebumps.

"You're not angry about the trick with the deodorant?"

"On the contrary. I'm proud to have such a tricky, sneaky boyfriend. I like well-executed plots without real victims."

I let him push me down onto the couch, Lex crawled over me and continued to plaster my neck with kisses.

It felt good. There was no doubt about it. Still-

I brushed my hand over his head again and shuddered when I felt not the smooth perfect scalp of the gargoyle Lexington Wyvern, but the short brown hair of the human Lex Eyrie. But it wasn't a good shudder. And his human lips didn't quite feel like those of the gargoyle I loved. When would he finally rip off that stupid patch?

Soft hands with slender fingers went under my T-shirt and my moment of shock and panic that I wanted to leave my shirt on and cancel this was followed by relief that when he took off my shirt, his would follow. And then he would remove the plaster too. I arched my back and lifted my arms so that he could pull the shirt over my head. He flicked it off in a high arc and I giggled because now I could help him out of his. He looked absurd as he lifted his arms and stripped it off like every one of the more than eight billion people in the world. A sequence of movements that he never had to do as a web-wing and which seemed strange. Just like his ridiculously flesh-colored hairless body, slim, defined without being bulky but alien. As was his smile without fangs as he unfastened the button on his jeans and unzipped his fly. He then did the same with my pants, perhaps thinking my holding my breath was due to anticipation.

"It's so much easier with human hands," he admitted cheerfully and I made an approving noise that probably didn't convey how much I was bothered by every second he was still human. My gaze flew to his upper arm but I didn't see the patch. Before I could look to the other, he placed his hands on my torso, his gaze briefly uncertain.

"Are you okay? Are you in pain when we do this?" my loving partner inquired and I tried not to think about how awful his five-limbed hands felt on my skin.

I nodded with clenched teeth because, of course, he meant the hematomas, some of which had become paler and yellowish, and even though they were sore and slightly painful, it wasn't really anything that would have stopped me from having a romp with my prince. If only it would finally be the RIGHT prince!

"They won't stop me," I said unspecifically, daring to express my wish. "Could you-?" I began and reached for his upper arm. But I didn't feel a patch and Lex probably didn't understand what I was implying either, but grinned broadly and the grin without one fang or overbite creeped me out more than a gargoyle snarl ever would have.

"Of course," he murmured, probably thinking himself accommodating when he leaned down again and licked one of my nipples with his warm human tongue. I pressed my head into my neck in discomfort and closed my eyes. This was wrong! I screamed inwardly and wanted to throw the human who was rubbing himself on me off me. It was ... as if a stranger was doing these things to me. I felt sick, my heart was pounding so hard in my chest.

"Lex," I croaked, and all that came from my favorite with his fake body was a grunted "mhmm?" as he nibbled on my tattered ear - something that turned me on completely when he (and I) were Gargoyles now disgusted me beyond measure. The way his hair rubbed against me was just urrrgh! What if he wanted to do it with me like that, I thought. What if he wanted to have sex with me in his human disguise? I couldn't, I realized, and yet I wanted it so much. It - him. But the real him. Yet wasn't he still him? Lex desired and appreciated me even though I had more faults than any other person. He wanted me as a gargoyle AND a human. Why was I so petty, so picky, I should be grateful for every show of affection. I loved him - why did I feel this way now? I gasped because he was just starting to nip the skin around one of my nipples. Jussuf had once inflicted a circular bite wound right there that had taken weeks to heal. Even after months, I was still disgusted to run my fingers over that spot. And merciful God no - now I had thought of Jussuf and would think of him every second from now on!

"Lex, please!" I said more urgently.

"Soon", he said with amused chiding in his voice and reached into my underpants.

The strange human touch on the vulnerable skin of my lower abdomen and in my pubic hair made me groan in despair. I had never been less aroused in the last 4 months, I was as soft as an overcooked spaghetti and finally, finally the hand in my underpants and the other from my chest disappeared.

"Nate?" my lover's voice asked and I snapped open my previously tightly squeezed eyes to see him squatting on my thighs, looking worried but still human.

"You're trembling. And why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, bringing his arm towards me and that's when I finally saw the patch.

I grabbed his arm and tore off the plaster with a sticky sound. And instantly the pale human skin began to seep back into Lex Eyrie's body. Lexington's whole body shuddered. His groans now not of pleasure but of grinding pain. I saw him press his lips together as I watched his jaw widen under the metamorphosis, thrust forward, ridiculously blunt human teeth were replaced with fangs. Suddenly a lengthening tail whipped around us and onto the padding, there was a wet sound as his wing bars and flight membranes worked their way out of his skin and the magnets on the sides of his jeans popped open and snapped shut more quietly as his wings had developed- now the leathery skin between them. Finally, now with a panther-like gargoyle snarl that I had come to associate with the younger or smaller gargoyles, he lowered his head as his skull underwent the changes necessary to accommodate his large gargoyle eyeballs. By now I realized that he always turned away from any onlookers during this second because he found this part of the metamorphosis itself gruesome and unsightly. But finally - after three or four seconds, which always seemed much longer to me and certainly to him as well - Lexington Wyvern, the gargoyle of the Manhattan clan, gasped above me - my darling in the most adorable frog prince style lifted his head and looked at me defiantly with his jaw thrusted forward.

I sighed with relief.

"That's better," I whispered, smiling apologetically, and his expression changed in response.

"You don't want to sleep with me when I'm human?" he asked, sounding genuinely hurt.

I stroked his bare upper arms.

"I do. I want to. But ... I don't want Lex Eyrie. I want Lexington Wyvern." After a few seconds, the vulnerability gave way to an increasingly understanding, softer expression. Even a small smile. Did he think he was a little better looking as a human than as a gargoyle? Ridiculous! But his motivations were quite different now.

"But as a human, there's no chance of me hurting you," he argued, flexing his claws. I rested my head back on the armrest and finally relaxed.

"I'm sorry. I ... understand where you're coming from." I moved my hand over my naked torso, which I was sure Lex was worried about inflicting any more bruises or scratches on me. My foolish words on the night of the last full moon must still be unsettling him. He had wanted to remain human to be sure he wouldn't hurt me in any way.

"Thank you ... for being so considerate," I said sympathetically, lifted my hand and stroked his jaw. He bent his head and nuzzled my hand with his eyes closed. "Please don't be afraid to hurt me. We can take it slowly, very slowly. And if I get a scratch? So what? But I want you. With fangs and claws and everything. Your human body is an aid for difficult situations. But this isn't supposed to be difficult. This is supposed to happen without fear. Your human camouflage doesn't bother me in other situations. But ... I don't want to make love with a disguise, I want to make love with you." We both took a deep breath, my breathing meant to brace myself for an honesty attack. I took one of his hands in mine. "I want these hands on my body. I was just scared. Not of you but ... of shadows from the past. No matter how gentle they were, your human hands remind me simply because they're human-"

"Of Jussuf," Lex said, and his tone had lost every nuance of warmth and kindness. Instead, he rubbed his hands wearily over his face.

"Shit. I'm really making every mistake there is to make, aren't I?"

"You're my Lexington even as a human! I know that. But ... but I can't turn these thoughts off. I should have said something right away. But ... we're both honest now before something worse, more unpleasant would have happened. That's a total success, Davis should be handing out diligence stickers."

"Your traumas will overshadow a lot of things for a long time to come," he said, and I nodded.

"I can walk this path. With you by my side," I said and giggled when he looked up because yes, I sounded like a corny dork. And he laughed softly too because he was probably thinking the same thing but he clearly liked it.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

"With this body? I would be stupid to refuse," I said with a new sense of ease.

Now it was easy for me to open my mouth. And my darling was too delicious, even though I could feel one of his teeth scratching me. His claws gave me goose bumps and I wanted to squirm like a cat in need of snuggling. Lex broke the very good, very pleasurable kiss, lay down with me and I enjoyed the feel of his flying skins folding as I wrapped my arms around his naked thorax. But this was now less sexually heated and more amicably peaceful. We both knew that.

"Do you know what would be good right now?" he mumbled after a few seconds, sounding downright sleepy.

"Netflix and Poncho Time?"

He lifted his head in surprise, his eyes amazed.

"My God, you're a mind reader too."

"But someone has to get up and get a poncho!" I said.

Lex grumbled unwillingly and I laughed. Yes, we were getting better. Not perfect- but who wants perfect?

.

.

Nashville coughed rattling and swallowed the bitter lump of bile.

Tasted blood. Great, he had bitten his tongue. And gargoyles with beaks had a lot of tongue and a lot of teeth. He felt hands on him and at the same time his aching head was filled with voices. Heather, who was crying. He opened his eyes and was impressed that he instantly knew where he was and what had happened. But now all the light and sound effects were off again.

Heather was almost on top of him - or rather on his lap, because Tachi was cradling him like he was a child.

He lifted his arm and patted his little turquoise sister on the head. Heather looked up in surprise, and Jesus Christ, how could ONE hatchling produce so much snot? A disgusted but not really annoyed noise escaped him as she threw herself around his neck.

"I'm so sorry, Nashville! Really. I didn't want the lights to hurt you."

Nash sighed, trying to ignore the moisture the kid was working into his shirt that was too much to come from just tears. What had just happened? First thought- vision. But caused by external stimuli like the seizures of normal epileptics?- That would be a first. And the feeling here was somehow different. He felt a little shaken - but not as miserably distraught and physically weak as after one of his Everything-will-go-to-hell seizures. Either way, Heather had heard about his previous episodes but had never experienced one. And Tachi had been very young. Naturally, if these episodes only happened every few decades (which was good, of course, but it made it obvious that Heather was so upset now and that Tachi was looking at him with such inquiring concern).

Nashville gave the red one a wink, at which she rolled her eyes. But the corner of her mouth twitched in a hint of a smile. Good.

"If you never do that shit again, I'll be satisfied. How long was I gone?"

"Maybe ... thirty seconds?"

Nash blinked. "Only? Wow." He struggled to sit up, but Tachi kept her hand on his back to support him if needed. He patted Heather again.

"It's okay, by the dragon, it's okay, Heather. I'm not mad at you."

The child lifted her head and rubbed sniffling her Hoodie sleeves over her tear-stained face.

"You sure?"

"Yes. Just don't push any more buttons without permission."

"Sure sure not mad?"

"Yes!"

"Completely one hundred percent superdupermega sure?"!

"Do I have to throw you across the hall until you believe me, you snotty monster?" he threatened, tousling her hair, which made her make an indignant noise as he messed up her braid (otherwise a mortal sin - allowed in this situation). But at least she stopped crying after that and blew her nose into her shirt sleeve - delightful.

"What did you see?" asked Tachi.

"I... am not even sure if it was a normal vision. It was too short - and I don't feel as shitty as ... I remember other post-epileptic episodes." Nash looked around the floor. "I didn't throw up ectoplasm, did I?"

"No. Maybe ... it was just a normal epileptic seizure?"

"Oh, that would be great," Nashville intoned with artificial levity, rolling his eyes.

"But you saw something." Not a question but a statement from his genius sister.

"Nothing. Just smoke and sounds. Screams. Howling wind."

"I saw the smoke from the machines, too. And heard the screams," Heather whispered, her eyes downcast with guilt.

"That's right. And that could have been the sound effects. Did you smell fire too?"

"No."

"Mhmmm," Nash rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. They all had the same association with fire lately. But Nate was human again. He smelled human through and through. But why else would Ares ambush him if he was just a dull little human weenie? And if Alex and Puck had their fingers in the pie ... why would they though - his gaze fell on Heather. Specifically, on the bulge in the front pocket of her Caticorn hoodie. In Heather's case, it was 99 percent some stuff she'd found interesting and was carrying with her. They'd already had to fend off a few lawsuits because people had accidentally been hit on the head with rocks (But it was shaped like Brooklyn's beak!) or bent coins (I wanted to straighten it and put it in one of the drink dispensers in the Eyrie Building cafeteria!) or candy of various kinds.

"What did you find?" Nash asked very gently because his sister still looked crestfallen. She scowled for a moment in that typical confused way that indicated she had no idea what he meant, then her face lit up again under the memory.

"Yes, that's right! I found that!" she chirped and pulled a lump of metal out of her pocket. But not with the grin of a proud owner of an interesting item or something tasty that she could munch on later.

Uncharacteristically uncommented and unsettled, she handed the pistol to Nashville. A real gun crushed by Gargoyle claws, complete with silencer. Nashville and Tachi looked at each other questioningly.

"Who's bringing a gun to play laser tag?"

"Follow-up question: who among Nathaniel's colleagues is bringing a gun?"

"Only we destroy weapons like this," he muttered, placing his hands in the craters that ran across the piece of scrap metal. "Too big for Lexington," he commented.

"And Ares doesn't use modern firearms."

"So far."

"So far. He hasn't been on any patrols to see us alter weapons like this."

"That means trouble, right?" the child asked gloomily.

Tachi normally had no problems keeping her features cool and unaffected. But now it was hard for her. Hard? Quite impossible. All three were thoughtfully silent, but at least Nash and Heather were watching and waiting for Tachi's assessment. She grumbled and rubbed her temple, visibly torn.

"We should talk to the adults," she said finally.

"They'll freak out if we tell them Nash had one of his Twitchys! Seizures are bad for us- Broadway said so! I'll get in trouble!" Heather whined and Nash took her in his arms.

"It's not your fault I probably had one - no one's going to punish you. I was feeling weird earlier, I probably would have had one anyway. But whether it was a real epileptic seizure or a vision of the future, this is something we need to discuss together as a clan, okay?"

Tachi nodded. "We can't protect them from everything. I don't know if it has to do with the thing Alex and Owen are trying to fix right now. Or with the shit Ares is stirring up. But I can't take care of everything. We put the adults on the Vision fire thing. We support Alex and Puck as best we can and stay on the archer."

"What if the two things are connected?"

"What if they're not?"

"I don't know."

"So we have Ares - who shot at someone here with an arrow and missed. Owen, who used magic to get here and presumably left after talking to Ares."

"And we have a weapon crushed by Gargoyle claws, which don't belong to Lex in terms of size."

"But - now that I see them, they don't belong to Ares either. I've measured every inch of his body. His hands and fingers are longer, but Nathaniel's fingers are slimmer.

Nashville nodded. "So the glass slipper doesn't fit Lex, not Ares-"

"-but would fit a gargoyle-Nate perfectly."

"Is Uncle Nate a gargoyle again?" Heather asked, but immediately lost her grin when her siblings didn't answer and both seemed to be pondering for themselves. After a few seconds, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What does that mean now? If you didn't say anything, that scares me!" Heather probed.

"Along with Nashville's maybe-or-maybe-not seizure? As much as I hate to say it and even though I'm afraid they won't be much help. We have to tell the clan. But we have to be smart about it - tell them without alerting Nathaniel or Lexington. Whatever shit involves him, he'll blame himself. If we don't want him to become suicidal again and Lex to go all Future Tense on us, we have to keep that facet of things under wraps. We need to think about ... how we say it. For that we'd have to brainstorm with Alex. Except I haven't seen him or Flora for days. He's magically sealed his room door and his windows," Tachi informed them.

The young Gargoyles looked at each other. Before Heather and Nashville glanced at Tachi. Perhaps Ares had been right to call her the future Rhydderch.

"If these claw marks belong to a Gargoyle Hercules ... but Hercules is a human - then what are we working with?" Nashville asked.

"We're working with unknowns. All of this ... all these pieces of the puzzle are probably connected. And with these portents ... That means the curtain's about to come down on the Trickster stage play. Soon."

Tachi shook her head with that stirring, almost delighted at the mystery, Xanatos smirk, but there was something unsettled about it.

Thanks for reading, Q.T.